Syracuse (8-3) put together its best rebounding effort of the season in a 67-46 win over Cornell (5-5) in the Carrier Dome on Saturday. The Orange outrebounded the Big Red, 48-27, and it was enough to overcome a 7-of-21 3-point shooting performance.

Tyler Roberson led the way with 15 points and 12 rebounds — eight coming on the offensive glass — while four Syracuse players scored in double figures. By the time the game ended, there were five walk-ons playing, and Adrian Autry Jr. scored the first two points of his career.

The Orange stuck with its six-man rotation, while Kaleb Joseph played seven minutes as the team’s seventh player. On the other side eight players recorded at least 12 minutes for Cornell.

Here are three things we learned from Syracuse’s second win under interim head coach Mike Hopkins.

Kaleb Joseph won’t play, even if he plays well

Hopkins was quick to praise his reserve point guard following the win for his three assists, two steals and no turnovers during his seven minutes. But it was still just seven minutes for Joseph, who didn’t appear in the second half of the game.

In the first half, he threaded a pass to a cutting Malachi Richardson in transition, who scored an easy two points set up by Joseph. But regardless of how Joseph plays, the Orange seems content to leave Michael Gbinije at the one, and use Frank Howard there only when the team is trying to make a second-half comeback.

Joseph, who entered the season with high expectations from Jim Boeheim, might be playing well enough to stay out there, there just might not be a spot for him to see significant time.

Syracuse is looking for Richardson to become a better rebounder  

To be fair, the Orange needs everyone to be a better rebounder. It was outrebounded by 26 against Wisconsin and 14 against St. John’s. But on Saturday, Hopkins praised Richardson for his career-high eight boards.

“That’s what he has to do for us,” Hopkins said.

He totaled 15 points to go with his boards, and nearly doubled the 4.3 rebounds per game season average he had prior to playing the Big Red. All of his rebounds came on the defensive side of the ball.

Adrian Autry Jr. is the best of the new walk-ons

A game like this does give everyone a chance to see the walk-ons. With 49 seconds left, Adrian Autry Jr., Shaun Belbey, Ky Feldman and Evan Dourdas checked in for their first time ever.

Belbey’s put-back layup was called off after Autry got to the hole and was fouled on a late whistle. Autry hit both free throws and was also credited with a steal. Time expired as Belbey attempted a two with a hand in his face on a shot that rimmed out.

Everyone recorded a stat in the short time they were on the court. After the game, Belbey was joking with his fellow freshman walk-ons that he could have passed up his shot because there was another open on the other end of the court.

Even if they didn’t give the fans tacos, the walk-ons made it fun after the game’s result had been decided.

 

Published on December 19, 2015 at 4:51 pm

Contact Sam: sblum@syr.edu | @SamBlum3